Any illegal practice, conduct or wrongdoing which is concern to you or may harm you, the ADC, or any other member of the ADC should be disclosed. This can be anything from dishonest, illegal and fraudulent activity, to bullying, to sexual harassment and discrimination, to safety breaches.

The ADC has policies and procedures which set out the types of wrongdoing which should be disclosed. The Whilstleblower Policy contains more information on what types of wrongdoing should be disclosed.

Making senior management aware of any wrongdoing allows them to take appropriate action in response to the reported wrongdoing. It also allows them to prevent further wrongdoing.

Your disclosure will help the ADC address any serious wrongdoing and ensure the organisation maintains its corporate values.

In some way everyone is affected by wrongdoing. Even if you are not directly impacted, the fact you have taken the time to consider whether you should make a report suggests you have important information the ADC should know about.

The ADC and WBS appreciates the decision to disclose a concern can be a difficult one. We are committed to listening, respecting and protecting the information you provide in relation to your disclosure.

To make a disclosure online, click on the Make a disclosure button above.

You will be redirected to a new page. Under the Unique key field enter ADC2020. Click next and follow the prompts. You will be asked to provide your Client reference number. This number will be issued to you by the ADC.

To make a disclosure via phone, call 1300 687 927 between 8.00am and 5.00pm AEST.

When asked for the Unique key by the support person, please state ADC2020. The support person will also ask for your Client reference number. This number will be issued to you by the ADC.

When you lodge a disclosure, you will be provided with a number specific to your disclosure. Please keep a record of this number as you will be asked for it when resuming a disclosure, upload more information, or monitor the progress of your disclosure.

Once you lodge your disclosure online, or via phone, WBS, an external independent company will clarify the core elements of your disclosure to ensure it meets the requirements under the relevant legislation.

WBS will then provide the ADC with a report on any areas for investigation. This report will not have any identifying information on the source or the person making the disclosure.

The information you provide through WBS, either via phone or online, will remain between WBS and yourself.

Your identity and information related to your disclosure will be stored in a secure encryption server. Using your identification number, you will be able to upload any additional information or evidence to support your disclosure at any time.

Please keep in mind, the information you provide as part of your disclosure may result in your identification. Ensure any information provided focuses on what happened, rather than how it was observed.

• There are options available to you to protect your anonymity and retain confidentiality when making a disclosure with WBS. You can:

  • remain completely anonymous;
  • share your identity to WBS only and they will not release your identity to ADC until they have your permission, or are required to by law; or
  • share your identity to WBS and the ADC.

• WBS ensures confidentiality through a combined set of strategies. Your identity, information and privacy will be protected by secure encryption.

  Your actions during your disclosure can affect your confidentiality. This includes:

  • talking to co-workers and other ADC stakeholders about your proposed or actual disclosure;
  • allowing others access to your disclosure using your unique access code;
  • using work items, such as your PC, laptop, or phone, to gather information which specifically or generally relates to your disclosure;
  • using work items, such as your PC, laptop, or phone, to make enquiries which specifically or generally relate to your disclosure; and
  • using personal or work assets, such as your phone or email, to communicate with WBS.

Yes, if you request contact.

To protect your anonymity:

• WBS does not collect any personal details, including your name, email address, phone number.
• WBS will not provide the ADC with any information about you, including your name, email address, and phone number, unless you authorise for us to do so.

You will drive the process. All interaction will occur through the WBS online service. While this means it will take longer to gather information, it is better equipped to ensure the anonymity of your disclosure.

You will need to regularly log in to check updates and progress, as well as upload any additional information and/or evidence to support your disclosure.

Anyone making a disclosure must:

• act in good faith;
• have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a wrongdoing.

If your disclosure is not made in good faith or is found to be vexatious, malicious, deliberately misleading or frivolous, you may be prosecuted under the Whistleblowing Protection Authority and respective Acts. You may also be subject to disciplinary action.

No action will be taken against you if no wrongdoing is identified, but you acted in good faith.

More information about your obligations is available under the ADC Whistleblower Policy and the WBS FAQ page.

Once you have made a disclosure, WBS will analyse the information you provide to determine if any additional information is needed. Once all relevant information is collected, the ADC will receive a report, including potential course(s) of action.

All disclosures will be thoroughly investigated, with the aim to collect as much information as possible to fully understand the nature of the disclosure.

Only authorised ADC employees can view the final WBS report. The ADC will use the report to determine if there is enough information to take the disclosure further, or to close the matter.

WBS will post any progress on your disclosure to the whistleblower portal. You can also provide updates to your disclosure through the portal.

At the top of this page is a Language Support menu option. If you would like this information in a language other than English, you can select this from the drop down menu.